Self-Cooling Solar Cells

Jul-26-14 With the development of self-cooling solar cells, researchers have come a step closer to overcoming one of the main hurdles of solar panel efficiency.

Solar panel efficiency tends to peak out at below 20 percent, and overheating is the main cause of this dramatic efficiency drop. Actively cooling solar cells, however, would cost too much and would also block the cells' exposure to the sun.

To address the problem, Stanford researchers have created a patterned silica glass that redirects unwanted heat away from the cells—and does so without the need for electricity or extra hardware. The pattern is made up of tiny, micro-thick pyramids and cones that draw the heat away as infrared radiation and direct it to the surface of layer, where it is released into the air.

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[GIZMAG.COM]

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